NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7956
SPONSOR: Jackson TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting the
sale and display of symbols of hate by state funded entities or at state
funded events
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:;
To prohibit symbols of hate from being sold or displayed by events or
entities that are state funded
SUMMARY OF PROVISION:
Section 1: amends the finance law by adding section 19-b to establish
that no entity who receives funds from the state is allowed to display
or sell any hate symbols unless images in specific items have educa-
tional or historical purposes surrounding it. The section also defines
what is classified as a symbol of hate.
Section 2: sets effective date
JUSTIFICATION:
Concerningly, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes states that
hate crimes impact victims on a much deeper and emotional level creating
fear and community unrest with those who share the victim's character-
istics. Organizations funded by New York State should align with the
values of the state and promote inclusions and protection of minority
identities. Therefore, state funded organizations should not contribute
to fear and untrust in communities by showcasing or selling items that
promote hate. For this reason, this bill aims to prohibit symbols of
hate from being sold or displayed by events or entities that are state
funded.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
TBD,
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately,
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7956
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 16, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JACKSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to prohibiting the
sale and display of symbols of hate by state funded entities or at
state funded events
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section
2 19-b to read as follows:
3 § 19-b. Symbols of hate. 1. No entity which receives any funds from
4 the state shall sell or display any symbols of hate or any similar
5 image, or tangible personal property, inscribed with such an image
6 unless the image appears in a book, digital medium, museum, or otherwise
7 serves an educational or historical purpose.
8 2. No event which receives any funds from the state shall allow for
9 the sale or display of any symbols of hate or any similar image, or
10 tangible personal property, inscribed with such an image unless the
11 image appears in a book, digital medium, museum, or otherwise serves an
12 educational or historical purpose, at such event.
13 3. For the purposes of this section, the term "symbols of hate" shall
14 include, but not be limited to, symbols of white supremacy, neo-Nazi
15 ideology or the Battle Flag of the Confederacy.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11597-01-5
